Organic farmer takes stand in Aussie GMO ‘contamination’ case

Wednesday 12/2: THE organic farmer suing his neighbour in the landmark GM court case took to the witness stand on Tuesday.

The court heard from plaintiff Steve Marsh about the alleged GM contamination event that took place on his Kojonup organic farm in 2010.

Much of the afternoon session was devoted to Mr Marsh’s affidavit and the exhibition of a number of farm photographs and maps to establish the location, topography and condition of Mr Marsh’s Eagle Rest farm for judge, Justice Kenneth Martin.

Photos of sensitive site signage erected around the boundary of Eagle Rest accompanied numerous copies of further documentation pertaining to Mr Marsh’s case, including a letter to former WA Agriculture and Food Minister Terry Redman in 2009, letters sent to the West Arthur and Kojonup shires before the alleged GM canola swaths were found on the organic farm and GPS paddock locations of where the alleged swaths were discovered.

Documents relating to Mr Marsh’s National Association for Sustainable Agriculture Australia (NASAA) organic status accreditation, the search for and clean-up of canola swaths and subsequent decertification were also committed to evidence throughout the afternoon.